'Beds in sheds' landlords clampdown

‘Beds in sheds’ landlords are to be targeted in a new borough-wide campaign.

The unauthorised conversions of outbuildings into accommodation, known as ‘beds in sheds’, often provides very cramped, poor living conditions.

The buildings can be dangerous to live in and tend to be built in the back gardens of houses and rented to tenants.

Now Hillingdon Council has announced it is to clamp down on those who try to flout planning law and profit from these dangerous conversions.

The council has put together a team of officers from its planning enforcement, private sector housing and legal services departments, to develop a strategy to tackle the issue before it becomes a major problem.

There have been isolated incidences of beds in sheds in the borough, but nothing like as many as in neighbouring boroughs such as Ealing and Brent.

Earlier this month a man was fined more than £15,000 for renting a shed in the garden of a property in Turnpike Lane, Uxbridge.

A Hayes man was also fined more than £4,000 for a similar offence this month at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.

The council team will work alongside Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the UK Border and Immigration Authority to see if tax avoidance and illegal immigration are involved.

Cabinet member for planning, Keith Burrows, said: “Renting sheds or outbuildings not only falls foul of planning regulations but also the accommodation is often cramped and unsuitable for someone to live in.

“Anyone caught flouting these planning laws should be aware that the council will take action and they face ending up in court and being hit with a hefty fine.”

The move has been met with approval by the Labour group on the council.

A spokesman for the party said: “The Labour Group welcomes the flip flop by the council in that action is now being taken by using planning enforcement against ‘beds in sheds’ which the Labour Group has been actively seeking action on for the past six months.”